N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is a commercially available (e.g., from BASF Wyandotte or GAF) solvent used industrially for cleaning, production of electronic circuiting, etc. A recent application of this solvent is as a paint stripper, i.e. a remover of dried coats of paint from surfaces. Although methylene chloride is widely used for this purpose, its high volatility and suspected carcinogenicity has led to a search for an alternative product.
A disadvantage of NMP is its low viscosity and low adhesive properites. This is particularly problematical when the NMP is applied to a vertical surface since it will flow off the surface before penetration, especially if the surface has multiple coats of dried paint.